http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_391572.html
Middle-aged divorces rising
By Diana Othman
According to the report, couples tend to stay married for about a decade before seeking divorce as the median marriage period for divorces last year was 9.8 years. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN
WHILE there were fewer divorces last year compared to 2007, more marriages ended in divorces for middle-aged couples.
Statistics on Marriages and Divorces 2008 released by the Singapore Department of Statistics on Wednesday showed that marital dissolutions fell slightly from 7,241 to 7,220 last year.
Of these, 37.9 per cent of the men who divorced were aged 35 to 44 years, while for female divorcees, the largest group - 39.4 per cent - was aged 25 to 34 years.
The report showed that a growing number of divorcees aged 45 years and above in the last decade - for both men and women.
For non-Muslim marriages, the most common reason cited for divorces was having lived apart or separated for at least three years.
The other usual reason was 'unreasonable behaviour of the spouse', usually given by the women.
Among Muslim marriages, infidelity was the main reason cited for 23 per cent of the divorces last year, followed by personality difference cited by 18 per cent.
Some 15 per cent of the women also petitioned on the grounds of 'inadequate maintenance'.
The number of annulments in 2008 also fell by 368 last year, compared to 429 in 2007.
According to the report, couples tend to stay married for about a decade before seeking divorce as the median marriage period for divorces last year was 9.8 years.
Middle-aged divorces rising
By Diana Othman
According to the report, couples tend to stay married for about a decade before seeking divorce as the median marriage period for divorces last year was 9.8 years. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN
WHILE there were fewer divorces last year compared to 2007, more marriages ended in divorces for middle-aged couples.
Statistics on Marriages and Divorces 2008 released by the Singapore Department of Statistics on Wednesday showed that marital dissolutions fell slightly from 7,241 to 7,220 last year.
Of these, 37.9 per cent of the men who divorced were aged 35 to 44 years, while for female divorcees, the largest group - 39.4 per cent - was aged 25 to 34 years.
The report showed that a growing number of divorcees aged 45 years and above in the last decade - for both men and women.
For non-Muslim marriages, the most common reason cited for divorces was having lived apart or separated for at least three years.
The other usual reason was 'unreasonable behaviour of the spouse', usually given by the women.
Among Muslim marriages, infidelity was the main reason cited for 23 per cent of the divorces last year, followed by personality difference cited by 18 per cent.
Some 15 per cent of the women also petitioned on the grounds of 'inadequate maintenance'.
The number of annulments in 2008 also fell by 368 last year, compared to 429 in 2007.
According to the report, couples tend to stay married for about a decade before seeking divorce as the median marriage period for divorces last year was 9.8 years.
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